If these two Abel Super 8’s could talk, they’d regale us with tales of far off places, exotic and domestic species they’ve bested and of grand days in the sun.
One has a minor case of reef rash on it’s frame, from a near face plant I did on a barnacle encrusted finger reef years ago. I wouldn’t trade that day or the reel, for all the kings gold.

Outfits: Made in the U.S.A.
Reels: California
Rods: Colorado
Lines and Backing: New York and Idaho.

I was rooting through some pictures and found these of what I would consider to be my favorite set up for trout fishing in my home waters. Sage ZXL 486-4 with an Abel pt.5 spooled with Airflow Ridge Tactical. I love this set up.

Here's my Abel Von Behr Super 4N spooled with Rio Gold WF4. I can't tell exactly which rod I have it on because of the shadow but from the looks of the cork and reel seat it is probably my Sage SLT 490-4.

Here's my Abel Super 4N in HD Brown Trout. This is also on my ZXL 486-4 - this time lined with SA GPX Textured WF4 line for short casts in a very stiff breeze that day.

Abel 3N in action - Lined with SA GPX Textured WF 8 wt. on a Loomis Native Run GLX 10' 8 wt. rod. I was hunting for Kings and Steelhead on the Pere Marquette but I wasn't gonna throw this brown out of the net without a picture

Here is the same reel on a Sage XP 890-4 with a smaller Pere Marquette King.

There was a thread a while ago about anti-reverse reels, and I just picked up this used Islander AR 4.5. Its getting mounted on my TFO Bluewater HD and spooled with a 750 grain full-sink Rio Leviathan line. It came spooled with 600 yards of gel spun backing, but I couldn't be sure of the strength or age so its gone. Its destined to tangle with some Tuna and Billfish.

Just for comparrisons sake, I placed a fun-ticket beside the reel to show its size.

__________________
"I was born to fish" Lee Wulff
"There's more B.S. in fly fishing then there is in a Kansas feedlot." Lefty Kreh
" It ain't over till it's over." Yogi Berra
"Your not old,you've simply acquired a patina." Swirlchaser

I love the above and virtually all Abels but Islander gets short shrift and it should not, though more limited in models and void of artistic exotic finishes, they are equally fine true draw-bar big fish stoppers.

We recommend Islanders to all our bookings for Tarpon. If they cry poor, then we have other recommendations, but we sear by the Islanders. The cork drag in the 4.5 can be cynched down tightly enough to break off 30 pound leader....as has been done by a few mis-informed souls that thought they could man-handlle a big Tarpon!